Some years ago when I decided to have my first child, some friends of mine who didn't feel ready to start a family, thought they would have a puppy instead. They didn't think things through. They fancied a puppy and didn't consider the implications involved having one, especially as they were both working full time.
The Excitement They decided to have a Great Dane. Not thinking about how large this dog would become and the fact that their house was only just big enough for the two of them, it was not the best decision they had ever made. They were so full of excitement about their new addition and couldn't wait for the day to arrive when they could pick him up.
The Concerns When they first introduced him to me, I have to say I thought he was adorable. But I did have considerable concerns about whether this was the most sensible breed for them, simply because they were out of the house all day and from what I'd read, Great Danes, along with many other breeds, don't like being left on their own. Trampus, as they called him, quickly became a rapidly growing dog. They loved him to bits and spent almost all of their time with him when they weren't at work. But the problems started whilst they were out at work.
The Damage Lynn worked 5 minutes away from their house and came home every day to take him out and spend time with him. But it definitely wasn't enough as she found out to her dismay, when she came home one day in her lunch hour to find a hole the size of half a tennis ball bitten out of the arm of her new sofa. She was mortified. Trampus had lots of toys and things to chew on but it obviously wasn't enough. He was simply bored to tears when left to his own devices. They decided to enlist the help of Lyn's mum who agreed to visit their house every afternoon to walk Trampus and spend some time with him. But things didn't improve and before long, the holes in their sofa grew both in size and number. Trampus was wrecking their home rapidly and as much as they loved him, they decided that they would have to part company. Because they thought of him as a member of their family they were distraught.
Mum to the Rescue Lyn's mum became their fairy godmother as Trampus went to live with her. She didn't go to work and could give him the necessary time and attention he needed. He was used to being around her and so it was the answer to their prayers. It marked the end of the chewing and Trampus would continue to be a part of their lives.
If only they had thought things through before they bought him and had done some research, this heartache needn't have occurred.
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